New Movies April 29: Mom and a Talking Cat
by EG
The last weekend in April is not likely to be a big one in terms of ticket sales at the box office, but it could turn out to be interesting in terms of competition for the top spot. Three new wide releases will hit theaters this week, and at least one of them, if it's lucky, could have a decent chance at being number one.
The first new release of the week is Keanu, a comedy about a talking cat from comedy duo Key and Peele. Although the pair have a devoted following from their successful TV series, it's not clear that their fanbase will translate into significant interest at the box office. Predictions for their first feature film have the movie taking in somewhere between $15 and $20 million in its opening weekend, but surprises are always possible.
The week's second new big movie is Mother's Day, a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, and Jason Sudeikis. This one is directed by Garry Marshall, the man behind 2010's Valentine's Day and 2011's New Year's Eve. The former was a surprise hit, while the latter was a disappointment, so the drawing power of Mother's Day is questionable. It's likely to pull in $10 to $15 million over the weekend.
The week's final new wide release is Ratchet & Clank, an animated film based on a video game series. This one is targeting a niche market and probably won't bring in even $10 million for the weekend.
If Keanu happens to hit it big and The Jungle Book falls off considerably from last weekend, we could see a new number one this week. The more likely scenario, though, is that The Jungle Book will turn in a third straight week at the top.